Divorce and Adoption--

[susan-y]

I would like some opinions on how to name some folks on my tree...
The children were born to mother Ann and husband Mr. DEF
Ann and Mr. DEF divorced and later on Ann remarried Mr. XYZ.
Mr. XYZ then legally adopted the children a year after the marriage.
How would you name the children on your tree? DEF or XYZ ?

Sue

[Waitabit]

Sue, depending on the ages of the children & the capabiities of your tree software,..can you give them hyphenated names or XYZ formally DEF. As there was a divorce it's possible that the children were still in touch with their Father,unless too young or circumstances would not allow it. Dicey query that!

The children if old enough to know what's what, may have had their own ideas & preferences unless the new Husband offered safer & better lives.

Maybe you can list them twice,-once with each Father -one being understood as 'adoptive' ! Rather as stepchildren in a 2nd marriage would be.
Sorry, I've been off the computer too long, tend to ramble.

[Philippa_Harvey]

Sue, I have exactly that situation in my (very close) family.

I have the mother's marriage recorded, plus the children, and I put "divorced" in the marital status line.

I then recorded her second marriage, showing no children, which was exactly the case.

I have added a note after the children's names in the first record saying "later "new surname", adopted after second marriage".

My family tree program is a very simple one and this was the only way I could see to correctly record what happened. Wendy's suggestion is a good one too so I guess it's a matter of personal preference when all's said and done. :flowers:

Philippa

[Peter Goodey]

Conventionally, simple tree charts show birth names. Additionally, your software ought to accommodate any variety and number of name changes (otherwise you may want to reconsider your choice of software). Don't invent names that were never used.

[Philippa_Harvey]

No invention Peter, am sticking to the truth. Children are recorded by their birth names with a note against each child telling of the change of name when they were officially adopted by their step-father.

These names are the ones they used through their earliest lives, then changed legally and of course this involved changes at the schools they attended at the time etcetera.

I guess you are talking more about recording other than those legal changes?

Should probably read properly before I answer!!!!

Ooops!! |oopsredfa (sorry)!!

Philippa

[susan-y]

Thankyou everyone for your thoughts and replies...
I feel it would be correct to use their birth surnames on the tree and I like your suggestion about adding a note, Philippa. Apparantly the 2nd marriage also produced some children so if someone was searching the family using XYZ surname they would still find the connection to the half siblings DEF.
I have some tree software down loaded, but have not yet used it so only have a tree on GR. On that tree all living rellies are hidden to viewers so it is basically for my own use that these would be added. I need time and money and patience to get a tree properly set up...time being in very short supply and money even shorter....:winkiss:

Sue